Multiple port valve



April 25, 1944. L. G. LINDSAY. 2,347,202 MULTIPLE PORT VALVE- FiledF'eb. 2, 1-942 Patented Apr. 25, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MULTIPLE PORT VALVE Lynn G. Lindsay, Chicago, 111'. Application February 2, 1942, Serial Nc..429,155

3 Claims.

It is an object. of this. invention to provide a novel, multiple port valve wherein the closure member may be manuallyset" in any of several positions: and; then actuated automatically to another position by means contained in the valve casing.

Another object is to provide an unusually simple and inexpensive valve embodying an automatic timing device of the dissolvable pill or candy ball type.

A further object is to provide such a valve with a self-contained timing and automatically operating device which is unusually durable' andreliablelin operation, and provided. with sealing members adapted to be replaced easily when they become worn Other objects are to eliminate packing glands from a valve of the character described and to provide a simple tubular casing constructed largely from standard pipe fittings.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure I is a central longitudinal section through an improved valve;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the replaceable sealing members and closure head, and

Figs. 3 and 4' are cross sections taken on the lines 3-3 and 4-4 respectively of Fig. 1.

The main casing of the valve comprises a T- shaped fitting 5 and a tubular extension 6 having threaded connection with one of the tubular branches 1 of the fitting 5. The other branches 8 and 9 are formed respectively with the ports in and H and'a third port i2 is formed by a pipe l3 communicating with the-interior of the tubular extension 6. Within the fitting 5 and extending in continuation of the port I is a short sec tion of pipe M which is formed at its inner extremity with an annular valve seat T5. The pipe section M'm'ay be made integral with the fitting or the latter may be constructed from a standard pipe fitting in which case a separate pipe section l4 may be rigidly fastened within a bearing 16 comprising an annular interior enlargement of the fitting 5.

A second valve seat I1 is formed on the inner end of the tubular member 6 and a closure head, indicated generally by the numeral I8, is mounted between and 'in parallel relation to the seats and I1 on an operating rod l9. As best shown in Fig. 2, the valve head I8 has a pair of sealing disks 29 mounted on a rigid spacer 2| and between washers 22. The sealing disks 2!] have centrally located openings to receive a reduced end of the rod l9 andare. removably fastened to the red by a pair of lock nuts- 23 which are threaded on an-end. of; the. rod. The disks 20 maybe constructed from soft. or hard rubber or from other wear-resistant. sealing: material suitable'for use in the particular fluid that is passed through the valve.

Ihe rod l9 extends axially in a chamber 24 formed by the member 6- and is guided by a perforated bushing 25 fixed in the inner end of the member 8 and also by a, metal disk 26 fastened to the rod and slidable in the bore of the chamber 24. A coiled compression spring 21 embraces the rod l9 and is confined betweenthe bushing 25 and disk 26 so that the valve head 18 isspring actuated tonormally close against the seat H. A series of openings 28- are formed in the bushing 25 for the passage of fluid between the fitting 5 and chamber 24 and a series of smaller perforations 29 are formed in the disk 26- to communicate with an end portion 330i the chamber adapted to contain a dissolvable member 31. The latter member may comprise.

a ball of hard candy or other substance which will dissolve in the fluid contained in the valve casing within a predetermined desirable period oitime. The outer end of. the rod l9 bears against one side of the member 3! and a manuallyoper able head 32' engages the opposite side so that when. the member 31 is in place it is held under compression by the spring. 21' acting through the rod #9; The head 32 is mounted centrally within a screw cap 33. having a handle or knob 34 on its outer end and an internally threaded bore adapted to coact with a long, straight thread 35 formed on the exterior of the tubular member 6. The screw cap 33 may be removed to permit the insertion of the dissolvable member 3! into the chamber end 30 and is then replaced and turned onto the member 8 toset the valve head in any desired position. may be set in spaced relation to both seats Hi and I? or, as shown in Fig. 1, the head IS may be closed against the seat 15 to place the ports H and I2 in communication with each other and to close communication with port Hi.

My improved valve has a number of fields of usefulness. For example, it may be used in the mixing of fluids admitted through the ports I0 and I2 and discharged through the port II. It has many other uses, one of which is in the semiautomatic control of water softeners where the body of softening chemical must be reconditioned or regenerated periodically. When so used a pipe 36 may be arranged to'connect the port Thus the valve head mal service operation.

I I to the soft water outlet, of the softener tank, the branch 8 of the fitting 5 may be connected to the service pipe and the pipe I3 may be connected to waste. To initiate a period of regeneration the cap 33 is removed and a dissolvable member 3| is inserted in the chamber end 30 after which the cap 33 is replaced and turned on to threads 35 to the point where the valve head I8 is closed against the seat I5. This disconnects the service pipe from the softener tank and allows water to flow from the pipe 36 into the chamber 24 and end portion 30 thereof through the openings 28 and 29 and to pass out of the chamber 24 through the port I 2 and pipe I3. The water being directed against the member 3| from the openings 29 dissolves this member within a predetermined period of time and when a sufllcient part of this member has disintegrated it allows the spring 21 to close the valve head against the seat I! and to open the communication between the ports II and I automatically thus returning the softener to nor- I have found that the final collapse of the member 3| takes place suddenly and that in actual practice the closing of the valve head against the seat I1 and the opening at seat I occurs almost instantaneously and uniformly after the elapse of the'time required for reconditioning the softener. 'By restricting the flow through port I2 I obtain the proper rate of flow and time period required for efficient regeneration and washing of the softener bed. This period corresponds to the-time required to dissolve the member 3 I.

If it is desired to change the time required for automatic operation of the valve a ball or member 3 I' of a different size may be used in the chamber and the valve'head may be closed against the seat I5 merely by turning the cap 33 farther in on the threads 35. To guard against the undesirable holding of the valve head I8 in closed position against the seat I5 by the pressure of fluid on one face ofthe head, it may be desirable to equalize the fluid pressure between the ports Ill and II. To accomplish this, I'provide a minute opening 31 extending through the wall of the pipe l4.

When the valve is used to mix chemicals, either liquid or gaseous, the fluids to be mixed may be supplied through the ports l0 and I2 respectively and discharged through the port I I as a, mixture. To regulate the. proportions, the valve head I8 may be set at any desired point between the seats I5 and I I by appropriate manipulation of the cap 33. The supply of one of the fluids may then be out 01f automatically after a predetermined period of time by the dissolution of a member 3| or 3Ia in the chamber end portion 30.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. In'combination with a casing formed with an inlet port, a plurality of outlet ports and a plurality of valve seats, a valve having a head movable between' said seats to control the flow of liquid from said inlet port to the respective outlet ports, a chamber communicating with one of said ports, a liquid-dissolvable member inserted in said chamber in operative relation to said valve, means for admitting liquid to said chamber, means for normally actuating said head to closed position against one of said seats, manually operable means for actuating said dissolvable member in said chamber to move said head to closed position against another of said seats and means for equalizing liquid pressure on opposite faces of said valve when in closed position against said second seat, the force required to close the valve and to retain it in closed position against the second seat being transmitted through said member and said member being dissolvable in the liquid in said chamber to automatically change the direction of flow through the casing.

2. In combination with a casing formed with an inlet port, a plurality of outlet ports and a plurality of valve seats, a valve having a head movable between said seats to control the fiow of liquid from said inlet port to the respective outlet ports, a chamber communicating with one of said ports, a liquid-dissolvable member inserted in said chamber in operative relation to said valve, means for admitting liquid to said chamber, means for normally actuating said head to closed position against one of said seats and manually operable means for actuating said dissolvable member in said chamber to move said head to closed position against another of said seats, the force required to close the valve and to retain it in closed position against the second seat being transmitted through said member and said mem-' ber being dissolvable in the liquid in said chamber to automatically change the direction of flow through the casing.

3. In combination with a casing formed with an 'inlet port, a plurality of outlet ports and a plurality of valve seats, a valve having a head movable between said seats to control the flow of liquid from said inlet port to the respectiveoutlet ports, a chamber communicating with one of said ports and having an opening permitting the placing of a dissolvable member therein, a liquid-dissolvable member inserted in said chamber in a position exposed to the flow of liquid therein and in operative relation to said valve, a spring normally urging said head to closed position against one of said seats and a manually operable, screw threaded cap for closing said opening and actuating said dissolvable member in said chamber to move said head to closed position against another of said seats, the force required to close the valve and to retain it in closed position against the second seat being transmitted through said member and said member being dissolvable in the liquid flowing in said chamber to automatically change the direction of flow through the casing after a predetermined interval of time.

LYNN G. LINDSAY. 

